


AkuRoku Month One Shots

by CameoAmalthea



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Car Sex, College AU, Drabbles, Dragons, First Date, M/M, Oral Sex, Teacher/Student Roleplay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2015-08-17
Packaged: 2018-04-12 22:57:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4497906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CameoAmalthea/pseuds/CameoAmalthea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I've asked people on tumblr to send me Akuroku prompts. Each chapter is one prompt, so tags may only apply to one story in the collection - the title of each chapter will make the subject matter pretty clear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prompt: Lovely AkuRoku dorks getting sexy in an awkward place

Eyes clenched shut Roxas follows blindly as Axel leads him to his surprise. Roxas if surprised Axel even remembered his birthday much less planned a surprise, but when Axel insisted he close his eyes and follow him Roxas couldn’t help but obey. If only because he was curious to see what Axel had planned. They’d one of the parking garages before Axel came to a stop and moved to stand behind Roxas, cupping his hands over Roxas’s eyes. 

“Ok, open!” he shouted, pulling his hand back to reveal…Axel’s Camaro? 

“You’re giving me your car?” asked Roxas, utterly confused, because a) that’s not the sort of thing you just gave someone and b) not something Axel would ever give up.

“What? No!” said Axel, “I’m giving you a ride in my car.”

Roxas glanced at him side ways. “You know, it would have been ok to say you forgot my birthday. You didn’t have to BS a surprise and no offense, but your car isn’t that exciting.”

Axel sighed and cupped his head in his palm. “No, I remembered your birthday Roxas. Okay, the surprise is a trip and I’ve got an entire awesome day planned for us in San Francisco. You said you’d never been, right?”

Roxas nodded, pretty impressed Axel remembered. He was from Pennsylvania, specifically from a town called Twilight. Well not town exactly, it too small to even be a small town. More of a place where a enough people lived to give the collection of houses a name. When Roxas had been accepted into Berkley there’d been no other choice in his mind – he had to go! So far he’d barely been off campus, too intimidated to take the train out and explore with his friends. Still, the chance to explore San Francisco with a local wasn’t something he’d pass up.

“Thanks Axel,” he said, “that does sound pretty awesome!”

“Sweet,” said Axel, “hop on in.” Axel moved to unlock the door and opened the door for Roxas. On the seat was a single rose.

Roxas gasped in surprise then blushed a shade of red almost as deep as the flower. 

“Not too cheesy, I hope?” asked Axel.

“No,” said Roxas, “it’s sweet. It’s really sweet. You’re sweet.”

“And you’re adorable,” he said, leaning down for a quick kiss. 

Roxas hadn’t really expected Axel to be romantic. He didn’t really where his softer side on his sleeve. Not that Roxas would have cared…if his birthday gift had simply been getting to spend the day in bed with Axel that would have been fine by Roxas. 

Yeah, romance and San Francisco were exciting, but so was Axel. When the made there way over the Golden Gate Bridge Roxas hardly paid attention to the view, instead enjoying how focused Axel looked when he drove.

“Hey,” he said, “you know what would be the gayest thing ever?”

“What?’ asked Axel.

“The two of us driving over the Golden Gate Bridge to an historically gay city while doing something very gay,” said Roxas.

“I’m not singing,” said Axel. “And none of my music is remotely stereotypically gay.” 

“I’ll have you know there are plenty of straight guys in the musical theater program,” said Roxas. “And I’m talking about this.” He leaned over and began to unbutton Axel’s pants.

“Hey!” said Axel, “I’m driving and I have feeling you’re about to get very distracting.” 

“We’re stuck in traffic, just don’t hit the accelerator if you get too excited,” said Roxas. Hand already reaching down to get things in position for what he planned to do. 

“I am not seriously getting a blow job while driving over the Golden Gate Bridge,” said Axel.

“Well, not if you don’t say yes,” said Roxas. “So do you think you can handle not killing us while I do this?” 

“Uh huh,” said Axel, nodding vigorously. “Yeah, I think I can –” His words were cut as he gasped, then focused on the road in case traffic started moving and keeping a straight face in case anyone happened to glance his way. He laughed at the irony of that word choice, straight face – yeah right.


	2. Prompt: Teacher Axel, and Roxas doing what he can for a better grade on a test.

“Ice cream break?” suggested Roxas. 

“Nope,” said Axel, “not until you finish outlining at least four more chapters.”

Roxas let out a heavy sigh and pouted. 

“Do you want to pass this test?” asked Axel. “You got a C on the midterm. If you want a better grade you’re going to have to work for it.”

“What are you, my teacher?” asked Roxas. 

“Yes,” said Axel. “You asked for my help and I’m going take making sure you pass very seriously. Your first year of college is a blank slate, if you can get a high GPA early it will be a big help, trust me.”

“Ok Mr. Axel,” said Roxas.

“Somehow I don’t feel like you’re taking this seriously,” said Axel.

“Maybe you should discipline me?” suggested Roxas, giving him a smirk. “You might have to get a ruler.” 

Axel placed his hand over his mouth to hide his expression, though it did nothing to hide his blush.

“Maybe we should have studied at the library,” Roxas continued, “I can us see us getting very distracted hanging out at your apartment – I mean your bedroom’s right there…”

“I’m not sure if you want me or if you’re just really desperate to get out of studying,” quipped Axel. 

“Could be both,” said Roxas, “getting out of studying might be a thing for me.” Roxas set his binder down on the coffee table and turned to Axel. “Come one, you be the teacher, I’ll be the student and I’ll do anything for a good grade.”

“Seriously?” asked Axel.

“Come on, it’s not that weird,” said Roxas. “Why do you think they sell those school girl outfits at the ‘Adult Boutiques’?”

“Because lots of old men are perverts?” suggested Axel.

“Because they’re cute and power is sexy. So come on, you’re the teacher and my fate is in your hands. If I want a better grade, I’ll have to work for it.” Roxas kissed him, slowly, his mouth lingering on Axel’s lips, before he moved his mouth up to Axel’s ear and whispered. “Tell me what I have to do for a better grade. I’ll do anything you say, Sir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexy prompt - pretty tame response - sorry about that! I really want to respond to every prompt I get so every prompter gets something...


	3. Prompt: College AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alycatt13's Prompt: Roxas is prob a younger college boy?? and Axel is his older boyfriend that has an ok job and a shitty car and Roxas has to ask Axel to drag him and his friends all over to do fun stuff but they're all eventually close and good friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wound up feeling very nostalgic for my own college experiences - so the following is heavily based on things that happened to me in college with some details changed including timing of events and aspects of different friends and events combined - I hope my friends don't mind.

There’s a club fair during orientation where on the student union’s ballrooms is lined with tables from various clubs and student organization. The rainbow balloons at the GSA’s booth catches his eye and Roxas wanders over where a shorthaired girl who reminds him of a pixie grins at him. Roxas had never been out before but it feels safe to head over, after all, straight allies are a part of the community so it doesn’t have to mean anything that he feels drawn to the group.

They’re very welcoming at the GSA. Everyone is friendly. He meets his best friend at their first mixer, an ice cream social out on the mall. His best friend is called Axel. He’s new here too, starting his first year of grad school in optical engineering. Roxas is double majoring in musical theater and English literature. He is frankly in awe of Axel’s genius.

Axel does Polynesian fire dancing and there’s a club for that on campus too. They meet on the concrete stage on the west end of the mall in front of the Old Main building, a mansion which once made up the whole of the university which as sense sprawled around it taking up several blocks. Roxas doesn’t dance but enjoys watching Axel move.

He meets a girl named Xion at the GSA and sees her again in English. He makes a point to sit next to her when they both arrive early because she seems really shy and he wants to reach out. She tells him she’s a creative writing major, and Roxas admits to writing fanfiction, saying he’s a huge geek and hoping she’ll be at ease. She invites him to a Japanese Swordsmanship club they have at the rec and this time he does decide to join - less risk of being set on fire than Axel’s club.

At that club he meets Hayner, Pence, and Olette and sometimes he convinces Axel to come to practice too. They all buy foam practice swords and sometimes meet in empty parking lots to spar. Most often it’s just him, Axel and Xion. Their favorite spot is on top the parking garage on the southwest end of campus since it’s usually empty in the evenings. Sometimes they sit on the edge of garage and watch the sunset – there’s no better view. 

He and Xion live on campus, but Axel has a place right across the street from the southwest edge of campus near the garage where they spar so more often than not they end up at his apartment. His roommate is called Zexion. He’s the same age as Roxas and Xion, but is a grad student like Axel getting a master’s in math. He’s friendly enough when he’s not being sarcastic but so quiet they sometimes forget he’s there at all.

Roxas finds himself spending more and more time at Axel’s apartment. Sometimes he sleeps over because it’s late and he’s tired and he doesn’t feel like making the trip back his dorm. Axel invites him to share his bed, and sometimes Roxas holds Axel in his sleep. It gets to the point Roxas brings extra clothes just in case he stays over. He loves the way the apparent smells, forever tinged with the sent of paint from the time they decided to let Xion experiment with body painting with he and Axel as the canvas, with strategically placed gym socks to protect their modesty of course.

He and Xion can’t drive, but Axel has an old car. He also has a part time job as a tutor so he has money for gas. There’s no decent public transportation to speak of so if they want to leave the self contained world of around campus it has to be in Axel’s car. Once they all went out for ice cream, Axel, Zexion, Xion, Haynor, Pence and Olette, seven people in a car that only sat four comfortably and was meant for five at maximum. Roxas held Xion in his lap in the front seat, and Olette lay across the other three in back seat as the ‘safety bar’. The bell hop at sonic gave them the strangest looks.

Other times he and Xion suggest adventures, and they badger Axel into taking long drives to the middle of nowhere scaring themselves by retelling urban legends on the way. Small towns have nothing there but churches, graveyards, and the occasional diner that’s open late and serves warm pie with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream. 

Sometimes the the trips are out to the middle of the desert, other times it’s up to the mountains where they explore pine forests. They talk about going to the beach someday. When they do make it out they spend the whole road trip singing along to Disney Villain songs, even when their enthusiasm earns them looks from the other drivers waiting in line at the border patrol check point. 

Axel becomes his boyfriend without the two of them ever really discussing it. They just cross the line from best friends to dating one day. Holding hands feels right and then so does kissing when it happens, after the initial hesitation and waiting to see if it really is ok to close the distance between them.

They don’t even know their proper anniversary, whether to count from the moment they met or the first time they kissed, unsure of when they really became boyfriends and convinced they’d been a little bit in love from the moment they laid eyes on each other.

About a year after they first met they decide to do a road trip out to Vegas for Star Trek convention with Zexion and celebrate their anniversary while they’re out there. They go all out, the best meal they’ve ever shared follow by center seats to Phantom of the Opera – because Roxas loves musicals and Axel loves the pyrotechnical displays. While planning for their anniversary they decide whenever they’re able to get reservation at the restaurant they’ve chosen will become their official anniversary date. It makes scheduling that first big dinner a lot easier and gives them an official date to remember: August 13th.


	4. Collge AU: Axel pulls Roxas into a bathroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Axel and Roxas are both in the same college studying different things, and in one of the simultaneous breaks they get, Axel pulls Roxas into a bathroom

The day before Spring Semester officially began Axel came home from grabbing drinks to find that Roxas had printed out their class schedules and stuck them his fridge with magnets. In fact Roxas had printed three copies of his own schedule, one for his dorm, one for Axel’s place in case he stayed over at his friend’s apartment, and one to stick in his back pack in case forgot to look at either and wound up in the middle of campus with no idea where he was supposed to be. 

“I thought I print yours too while I was at it,” he said, “since you left it up on your computer. Now it’s right here next to mine.” 

“Thanks, I guess, but I really don’t need my schedule on the fridge,” said Axel, “I’ve got it memorized.”

“Yeah, but now you can see it next to my schedule and compare,” said Roxas, “in case we want to meet up for lunch or ice cream or something.” 

Meeting up around their class schedules proved to be a tricky proposition. Most of them were located on opposite ends of campus. They one class they had in the same building, modern languages, but it wasn’t the same time, even though it was close. Axel would still be in class when Roxas had to show up for his and by time Axel got out Roxas would be long gone. That meant seeing Roxas during rushed lunch breaks and in the evenings.

The day of his first Spanish quiz Axel finished early and was allowed to leave. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to catch up with Roxas and so he decided to hang around the building. Thanks to a near photographic memory he knew exactly what room Roxas’s class was in just from glancing at the schedule every time he got a snack and so he settled headed down to the third floor to wait for his boyfriend.

When Roxas turned the corner about he found Axel leaning against the wall between his classroom and the bathrooms.

“Hello Roxas,” Axel practically purred the greeting, drawing out each syllable in his name. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be in class?” asked Roxas.

“Got out early, and by my watch,” he looked at his phone, more for effect than to check the time, “you’ve got a few minutes before you need to be in yours.”

“You came by just say hi?” asked Roxas. “That’s so sweet!” He moved to hug him, wrapping his arms around Axel’s slender frame. 

“We could do more than say hi,” said Axel, “there’s a bathroom right there if you’re too shy to kiss in public.”

Roxas blushed at the suggestion. “I don’t have much time.”

“We’ll be quick,” said Axel, leading him to the bathroom. “You said you wanted to meet up between classes if we could, you know for ice cream or something. Today we can try the or something bit.” 

He all but pushed Roxas through the swinging door of the was a single stall, single person bathroom and shut it behind them, pressing his thumb to the lock. No sooner was the door closed than Axel found himself pressed against by Roxas as the boy moved to kiss him.


	5. Demon AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Axel lays dying a demon comes to him with a deal, but Roxas has his own agenda and the help of demon never comes without a price 
> 
> For NonconKitten who submitted the prompt:
> 
> I absolutely adore the idea of a child demon Roxas preying on a completely tripping Axel. As in, well, Axel taking a dangerous amount of hallucinogens while having a breakdown like moment in his room alone where an adorable,  
> young blond appears out of nowhere and completely fucks with Axel’s sense of reality. Yes pls n thnk. Or you know. Any type of beast play would be nice. Preferably dog. Can be werewolf if you’re more comfy with that. Ducon. Noncon. Con. Doesn’t matter. You’re the prompt filler.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok – hard one to fill. I don’t deal with recreational drug use – bit of a trigger as is anything too surreal and breakdowns are bit dark for me – but I tried to do something along the lines of these prompts – basic elements – drugged out Axel, demon Roxas, animalistic elements – I hope a demon cat boy is ok – no explicit content but warning for implied lack of ability to refuse

The pain was gone, but so was his grip on realty. Lea was aware of the IV, aware enough to wonder how much of what they’d pumped him full of but not enough to remember how he’d gotten there. 

“Your friend put you here, don’t you remember?” came a voice that seemed to purr. “You really thought you could save him?” 

“Isa,” he mouthed, the name.

“He doesn’t belong to you anymore,” even as the world span and he was towards different dreams this one voice remained clear and constant. A sharp gash of lucidity in his mind, cutting through the haze of whatever they’d given him. 

Oh yeah, Lea remembered. Isa, who’d been his best friend growing up before they’d both fallen in with gangs. Lea had managed to get out. Pull off an impossible job, earn your freedom. Isa hadn’t wanted to get out. He wasn’t the same anymore.

He called himself Saix now, and as far as Lea could tell all he wanted was power, maybe he just wanted to be with Xemnas. Lea had tried to talk to him. He knew if Saix stayed in it would destroy him. Xemnas didn’t like the meddling – Lea leaving was on the condition he stayed out of the way. 

Then Saix had stood there and watched as they taught him a lesson and left for dead.

“I’m alive,” said Lea. 

“Barely,” said the voice. “Afraid to die, Lea? Afraid of what comes after?” 

Footsteps fell heavily on the floor and the owner of the voice came into view. A boy, or at least he looked like a boy but before Lea swore he’d seen a shadow like a monstrous cat. Were those cat’s ears among the blonde spike of gelled and windswept hair. When the boy grinned Lea swore he saw fangs and the red glow in the boy’s eyes made him wish he could scramble away, but he was weak.

“What the fuck?” he breathed, but he could not scream or even reach the button to call a nurse to get him off whatever shit they’d put him on.

“My name is Roxas,” said the boy. Boy or creature, Lea wasn’t sure. Roxas climbed up onto the bed, crawling closer and closer but slow and swinging, one moment a guy almost seductive in his movements and then next a twisted giant cat like creature fur wild and matted, claws sharp and boy or cat no matter what he saw there were always fangs. Then the boy was practically on top of him and leaving into whisper. 

“You’re delicious you know,” he told him. “So much anger, and pain.” He pulled back, cocking his head to the side. “If you sold me your soul, do you think you’d really be loosing anything? So much blood’s all ready on your hands. You’ve know you’ve got nothing to loose really. You know part of you wants to loose everything. I can take away the pain? Or maybe I can save him?” 

“He doesn’t want to be saved,” said Lea. This couldn’t be real. There was no way.

“No, but you would if you could,” said the boy. “Do you want to know what happened to him? Xemnas offered him power, at a price. The X is that mark of contract – he belongs to Xemnas now – body and soul. But you, you could belong to me. I won’t eat you up, not all of you at least. Really, I promise. I’ll keep you forever. You can be a demon like me or maybe you can save us both?” 

“Save?” asked Lea.

“Save us all, you, me, and your Isa?” asked the cat. “I wasn’t always evil, but certain hungers can warp you tastes.” He licked his lips. “We all just want a second chance.”

“You can break whatever hold Xemnas has on him,” asked Lea.

“It’s not that simple,” said the boy. “But maybe together there’s way. But I need to feed.”

“Feed?” asked Lea.

“Take a bit of your life force, and I’ll give a bit of mine,” said Roxas, “it will start the change, Axel. That’s who you’ll be after this, not quite human.”

“You gonna make me like you?”

Roxas shook his head. “Not all at once,” he told him. “Too much and you’ll become a demon and belong to me entirely, and you don’t want that so I’ll just take a little and give in return.”

“Take a little?” asked Lea.

“Yes, just a little of your human life force. That’s all I want. You let me feed from you,” he said, “and every time we do this you will take my strength and I will take strength from you. Human life force to feed a demon, and in exchange, a bit of my power to make you stronger than you’ve ever been and together we’ll be stronger that demons or humans, while it lasts.” 

“But in the end, I’ll be yours?” asked Lea. “I…I’m freaking out. I don’t understand.” 

Roxas leaned down and grabbed his chin roughly, forcing the human to look up into his eyes. 

“Demons spread by convincing humans to allow us to turn them. We feed on human life force, and human souls. If we take a human we can turn or just devour them, our choice really. Xemnas sold himself to Darkness, and needed to feed, so he gathered us, planning to devour or turn each one. Sating himself and building a army.”

Lea nodded slowly, showing he sort of followed. “And you want to stop him?”

“I never sold myself to this – someone else used my soul as payment for their deal. But now I’m this and have been for a while, but there are ways to become human again. Kill the one who turned you. Most can’t – the whole enslavement thing. But Xemnas, he took my soul but I promised it to him, that’s mean I’m free but I can’t do this alone. He’ll always be stronger, there’s only one way.”

“You feed on me?” asked Lea.

“Demons aren’t the best at self control,” said Roxas, “they take souls and life force all at once. Such nourishment boosts their power and sates their hunger but it burns out like that.” He snapped his finger. “Slow release, bit by bit, means I’ll get a steady source of strength. As for you – well, when human and demon essence mix it creates a very powerful mixture. You’ll have magic, you can fight, and together we’ll bring them down.”

“You’re sure?”

“It’s our best shot,” said Roxas, “Besides, Lea you’re dying. All these drugs, it’s just to keep you comfortable. Let me have you and you’ll live. Seal the deal, become Axel, be bound to me.” 

Roxas leaned down and pressed his lips to Lea’s in a slow lingering kiss. Roxas’s lips were soft but the touch of his skin left Lea feeling scorched but someone desperate to get closer to that heat. 

“Make the contract,” Roxas urged. “Let me feed.”

“I…yes,” he cried out and suddenly everything felt like it was on fire. His face burned, and he raised his fingers to his cheeks on each side.

“I hope you like your new markings,” said Roxas, “tears seemed appropriate. So much grief in your heart. Now then, for what you’ve promised.”

Roxas moved to straddle him, forcing his legs apart, incredibly strong despite his small stature. The dark cloak he’d been wearing vanished, and suddenly he was naked and he saw clearly now the boy had a cat’s tail lashing behind him. 

“What?” he asked. 

“Feeding,” he said, looking more feral by the minute. “Life force flows more readily during sex, and your soul is carried by your life force. I’m going fuck you, and while you scream and writhe beneath me I’m going to lap up your life force and sip at your soul but when you kiss me you’ll feel more full of life than you’ve ever felt, I promise. The contract is sealed, it’s too late to back out now.” 

The next kiss was rough, and hungry and part of Axel was terrified but another part wanted to scream for Roxas to take him, body soul, whatever the fuck he wanted – Axel was his.


	6. Awkward First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridon--t reqested: Axel and roxas on their first date, and axel is doing everything he can to impress roxas but he's also silently suffering from a very bad and painful case of gas and trying not to make it look like anything is wrong

“This restaurant is really fancy,” Roxas said, feeling a bit underdressed.

“I wanted to make a good first impression,” said Axel. “I mean date impression. You all ready know me, but this is well a real-” Axel stopped short and cringed .

“What is it?” asked Roxas.

“Fine, fine, it’s nothing,” he said, “Uh- I’ll be right back.” He dashed from the dining room towards the mens room. Leaving Roxas alone at the table. 

When Axel returned, Roxas looked at him wide eyed. “Are you ok? If you’re feeling sick we can always reschedule.”

“No, I’m good,” he said, “it’s all good. Things are fine. So uh – menus these are menus. Anything interesting?” He covered his face in the menu. 

“Well, the chicken alfredo looked good?” said Roxas. “Are you sure everything’s ok?”

“It’s really nothing,” he said. He took a long drink of water. Thankfully the waiter came to interrupt the awkward silence by asking if they were ready to order. 

“I’m ready,” said Roxas, “but I’m not sure about-”

“I know what I want,” said Axel. “I’ll just have the spaghetti carbanara please.” 

“The chicken alfredo,” said Roxas, “thank you.”

He handed the waiter the menus, then turned his attention back to Axel, who was trying to lounge casually against the red leather of their shared booth but managed to look anything but relaxed. 

“You know,” said Roxas, scooting closer. “There’s no reason to be nervous. Come one, how long have we been friends? Dating doesn’t change anything, it doesn’t change you or me. It’s like being friends but we can do this.” He leaned in and kissed Axel’s cheek. Axel returned the gesture with a wide smile which morphed into a l grimace.

“Axel?” asked Roxas. “What is it?”

Axel let out a loud belch. Loud enough that some of the other diner turned to shoot looks of disgust before shaking their head.  
Roxas broke out laughing.

“I’m so sorry,” said Axel. “I don’t know what’s wrong. Maybe something I ate.”

“I have some tums in my messenger bag,” said Roxas, reaching under the table to retrieve it. “You could have just said something. Is that why you were running to the bathroom.”

“Well yeah,” he said, “I didn’t want to be all gross in front of you. I’m trying to be cool here.” He covered another small burp with his hand. “So much for that.”  
Roxas handed him a couple of chalky white tablets. “Axel, it doesn’t matter to me if you fart at the table, you’re human. You could be on your period and I wouldn’t care, except to help if I could.”

“Uh Roxas – I don’t have periods,” he said.

“Well, I don’t know, I’ve never seen you naked before,” said Roxas, “the point it doesn’t matter what you’re bodies doing. I love you. And things don’t have to be over the top romantic and perfect to be…well perfect cause you’re here.”

Axel’s stomach let out a loud squelching gurgle and he clutched it wincing in pain. 

“Well maybe not perfect for you right now,” said Roxas, “I hope the tums helps soon.” 

“Yeah,” said Axel, “me too, but it doesn’t matter. Just hearing you say that, it’s pretty perfect.”


	7. Dragon AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the Prompt: Dragons. Do what you will.
> 
> Roxas trained for years to be a dragon rider, the only problem - a dragon never hatched for him. Now the only way to fulfill his dream is to find a wild dragon willing to accept him as a partner. Instead, Roxas finds a village terrorized by man-eating monster and in desperate need of a dragon slayer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was very excited to get this prompt and might rework and expand on it at some point. I’d been wanted to do a dragons story since seeing mintyskulls's dragon AU art.

All his life, Roxas had one dream – to be a dragon rider. Very few were chosen to apprentice with the riders and few still were lucky enough to have a dragon hatch for them. On your seventh year you got tend the nests, hold the eggs, and hope one hatched for you. If one didn’t by the time you were fourteen that was it. Dragons grew slowly, taking years before they grew big enough to ride. If you were already an adult when the dragon hatched you’d be in your thirties before it was big enough to ride. They wanted riders young.

Roxas was sixteen. Two years too old for any hope of being a rider. Or at least for any hope of riding any of the any of the temple’s dragons. Not being a rider didn’t get him kicked out of the temple, there was still work to do. As Dragon Master Aqua liked to remind him, there was more to life than being a rider and more ways to help the world. It was still an honor to be a knight – even if he didn’t have a dragon partner.

“Why can’t I bond with a dragon who’s already older?” he asked her one day. She’d found him sitting alone on the far side of the temple grounds, perched on a wall on the edge of the mountain. Aqua could always tell when something was bothering him and asked what was on his mind. Roxas didn’t want to talk about his feelings, so instead he asked about dragons. “It doesn’t have to be a baby, does it?”

“If you don’t want to be eaten alive,” said Demyx, Aqua’s blue-scaled water –dragon, who followed her everywhere. 

“Demyx is right,” said Aqua, taking a seat beside him on the ledge. “No one has ever tamed a wild dragon, they’re too dangerous. Our dragons only let us ride them because they view us as family, and that bond can only be formed through imprinting.”

“Yeah, there’s no way I’d let anyone put me through what she does if I didn’t love her,” said Demyx. Roxas had always thought Aqua and Demyx were a rather mismatched pairing given that Aqua was serious and hardworking whereas her dragon was laid back, even lazy and often fought orders to ride into battle.  
“Are you all right?” she asked him. “It isn’t good to be alone. Why not come inside.”

“I will in a bit…it’s just…sometimes I don’t even know why I’m here,” he admitted. He turned back towards the temple and hopped down onto the green lawn. “I have my magic, but if I’m not a rider what difference do I make?”

Aqua followed him, and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Ven,” she said “anyone can make a difference.”

“Don’t call me that,” he said, “Elemental titles are for Dragon Knights and apprentices. I’m never gonna a rider, not anymore. I’m just Roxas.” Roxas, the name he’d been given at birth and given up when he came here at age seven to train as a rider. His element was air, and he’d been given a new name suitable for a wind master. He’d hoped one day to rule the skies on the back of a swift wind dragon, but that hadn’t come to pass and someone who wasn’t a rider didn’t need a fancy title. 

“You can still serve this temple,” she reminded him again, “you have the power of air. Of wind and light. That’s very special, V- Roxas. Maybe if we’d had more wind dragons you would have been chosen, but they’re just as rare as you are…but I know you’ll still do great things.”

“I – thanks,” he said, before letting out a long sigh. “It’s just, maybe I’m not meant to do whatever it is I’m meant to somewhere else. I’ve been in this temple since I was a kid. I wanted to be a rider. When that didn’t happen, I kept serving because this was home.” 

“It still is,” she assured him.

Roxas nodded, but his heart wasn’t sure. The Knights of the Elements used their magic to bring peace and justice and the dragon riders were their most powerful force. If he couldn’t be a rider did being a Knight really matter? And just because no one else had ever tamed a wild adult did that really mean it was impossible?

X

In the north wild dragons were commonplace, and a common problem for settlers who pushed ever further into their territories. As forests were cleared to make way for farmlands less room was left for the wild game dragons fed on and so livestock fell prey to them instead. 

“We should eradicate the beasts,” said Lord Ansem the Wise. He was in the Great Hall of his keep, pacing before his throne. The hall, which could hold a hundred during a feast was empty now save for the advisor he’d summoned. 

“Dragons are not as easily removed as wolves,” said Vexen. “We’ve driven the dire wolves to extinction and the smaller species may well follow, but dragons?”

“Are you saying it can’t be done?”

“Not easily, my Lord. They’re smart,” said Vexen, “immune to most poisons and nearly impossible to kill. And the riders of the south did not support expansion into these lands, and so we cannot expect their help driving them off.”

“Yes,” said Ansem, “Lord Masters Eraqus and Yen Sid believe this forest must remain untouched. I say the world belongs to those who would take it. This place has so much to give, trees for timber and once they’re gone grass lands for my sheep. Dragons have no right to exist, nor anything else in our way.”  
“Of course, my Lord,” he said. “I agree, all I am saying is that this problem may require a different solution for now. We may be able to placate them. Dragons are very vain creatures and would enjoy our supplication.” 

“You want us to bow down to these beasts?” asked Ansem. 

“Placate them is all,” said Vexen, “an offering once a year may be all it takes to convince them to leave us in peace. They may enjoy stealing sheep, but they’ll enjoy offerings more. You’ll find dragons value feeding their egos over their bellies in most cases.”

“What sort of offering?” asked Ansem. “I haven’t much gold to spare.”

“Human sacrifice would be sufficient,” suggested Vexen. “Virgin maidens are traditional. We have plenty of peasants and orphans to spare, my Lord.”

Ansem the Wise chuckled. “That we do,” he said, “more mouths then we can afford to feed really. And the death of innocents may inspire warriors to volunteer to solve our problem permanently.” He moved to the table to pour himself a goblet of wine and raised his glass. “To solutions.”

X

Roxas urged his horse onward. The journey had been long and tiring. He looked forward to reaching Twilightfell and the chance to sleep at an inn. A proper bed and a hot meal would be too wonderful for words. His life at the temple where he had his own room with a feather mattress and had never wanted for food was starting to seem like a dream. 

It was his choice to leave and he didn’t regret it. Roxas hadn’t even told anyone before he left. Instead he wrote a note and took off in the night. He would never be satisfied until he knew he’d tried everything he could to become a rider. That meant going to the north and finding the wild dragons. He was strong. He could fight. He could control the wind with his magic. Surely some dragon would accept him as a partner. A wind dragon who’d see they were kindred spirits, meant to fight together – and who wouldn’t want to be a warrior for peace?

When Roxas rode into town he was greeted with stares. Common folk admired his golden armor and the noted the sword which hung on his side. They whispered to each other, but Roxas couldn’t make out what they were saying. When he came to the inn he dismounted his steed and was greeted by three locals around his own age, two boys and a girl.

“Have you come to slay the dragons?” asked the girl.

“Slay?” asked Roxas. “As in kill? No, no of course not. Why would anyone kill a dragon?” 

The group looked at each other. “You’re really not from around here, are you?” asked the taller fair haired boy. 

“Dragons are bloodthirsty monsters,” said the smaller dark haired boy. “Every year we have to make an offering, a girl from the village. They carry them off and eat them, and if we don’t make sacrifices they’d attack the village and kill our Lord’s livestock. If that happens all of us suffer.” 

“You feed people to dragons?” asked Roxas, “To protect livestock.”

“We shouldn’t talk about this here,” said the girl. “It might be taken the wrong way. Anyone who questions our Lord’s orders is punished. Are you getting a room here? It might be safer inside.” 

Roxas nodded, and moved towards the door. He had more than enough gold to get a room and arrange dinner for them all at an out of the way table. They kept their voices low so as not to be overheard, and the three told them of life here and the problem with dragons.

X

Roxas left his horse behind when he set off into the mountains. Hayner promised to look after it, and he had every reason to keep his word seeing as it would be his if Roxas didn’t return. None of his new friends seemed very confident he would return. Especially since his plan was ‘try to talk to the dragons’. 

According to Hayner, Pence and Olette there were two dragons that had been spotted. One dragon was red as blood and the other gold and blue. Red meant a firedrake, Roxas knew, and blue was either air or water, the gold features most likely meant air. So that was a good sign, right? 

Except Roxas wasn’t sure he could find common ground with a creature that ate people and terrorized villages. Still, he wouldn’t kill a dragon if there was a way to avoid it. If he had to fight he would. The Elemental Knights were the guardians of peace and justice and Twilightfell certainly wouldn’t see either of those things as long as they were being forced to sacrifice people.

Only one girl had been sacrificed so far. That was one life too many, as far as Roxas was concerned, but at least he’d come before this went on too long. Taking on two dragons at once might be suicide, but if anyone had a chance of success it was him. He’d been raised among dragons. He’d sparred with them, and knew how they fought as well as any human opponent he’d faced. Of course, he’d never actually faced a fire dragon.

Fire dragons had never offered eggs to the temple as the other had when it was founded at the end of dragon war. Back then dragons were more plentiful, and had clashed with humans more regularly. A great king declared war on them and many dragons died, humans too. In the end, dragons and humans who shared their elemental gifts came together and agreed that the dragons would leave the southern lands for places distant but those dragon eggs which were orphaned would be given to the elemental knights to raise. 

The orphaned eggs would be spared from death, for they could not live alone nor could the adult dragons take them and through this pact, humans and dragons both could learn not to see each other as enemies. All of the dragons in the temple were descended from those eggs. When a rider died, their dragon would often leave after awhile to seek a new life in the wild, but always before they left they’d pair with another of their kind and leave their eggs to hatch for riders. So their children too would know the joy and honor of imprinting to an elemental knight. 

While there were occasionally knights of the flame, they could never be riders. The fire dragons hadn’t cared for the gesture of peace. They were too proud and too angry at the slaughter to offer anything to humans. They’d rather their orphans die unhatched than be given to humans. All Roxas knew of fire dragons was that no dragon alive was more dangerous.

Still, dragons were intelligent and that meant there was possibly of reasoning with one…hopefully. Roxas was beginning to wish he hadn’t come alone. He wished Aqua were there or Kairi or anyone with a water dragon really. Wind could blow out fire, but it could also fan the flames. 

High on the mountainside Roxas saw the mouth of a large cave. Perfect for a dragon’s lair. That’s where he needed to go then. Good thing he was cut out for climbing. He could use the wind to carry him, nimbly leaping from stone to stone as he made his way of up the mountain’s face, until he reached the ledge where the entrance to the cave lay waiting. 

Roxas took an crystal orb from his satchel and whispered magic words, drawing on his own light magic and it began to glow. He held the orb before him to light his way as he journeyed deeper into the cave, only to discover he did not need it.

The cave was all ready lit by thousands of tiny flames, which hovered above the main chamber as if suspended on invisible floating candles. The cave was brimming with gold and jewels and chests which no doubt contained other treasures, and all of it sparkled under the enchanted firelight. 

Roxas marveled at the hovering flames; the fire dragon’s magic had to be very strong to pull off such a trick. Most dragons could only use their own bodies to direct magic, only the most powerful of dragons could cast spells as human mages did and that bit of magic would be impressive even for a mage.

“What are you doing here?” came a high-pitched voice. 

Roxas jumped in surprise. He had been so focused on the candles he’d forgotten about all else for a moment – not that dragons could really be missed – and that voice certainly didn’t belong to a dragon. Roxas turned to see a girl standing there, staring at him with wide blue eyes beneath raven hair cropped jus below her ears. She was dressed in fine black silks in a style far more suitable for a much warmer climate, but then he supposed it was very warm in this cave.

“Who are you?” he asked, “and I could ask you the same thing.”

“I was given to the dragons,” she said, “are you here to rescue me?”

“You’re Xion?” he asked “I didn’t think you were still alive.”

“Oh,” she said, “then you’ve simply come to kill them. Please, you must leave, before he comes back. He’ll kill you and I – you wouldn’t understand, but you have to go.” 

“I’m not going-” he was cut off by a deafening roar. A dragon.

“It’s too late,” she said. “He’s here.”

Roxas spun towards the entrance to the gave in time to see a enormous red dragon stalk into view. It sniffed the air, taking in his scent before it’s gaze ever fell on him. When it did, green eyes narrowed in a predatory gaze. The dragon grinned, revealing row after row of dagger sharp teeth.

“Well hello,” purred the dragon. He came forward slowly, and Roxas felt he knew exactly how a mouse must feel facing an advancing cat. “This is going to be fun.”  
“I’m not here to fight,” said Roxas, “I just want to talk.”

“Talk?” asked the dragon. “Sorry, I don’t make a habit of chatting with things I plan to eat.”

“E-eat?” said Roxas, beginning to back away. “Wait a minute. I really don’t want to have to hurt you.”

The dragon burst out laughing. “That sword at your side sure says you’ve come to fight, and it’s too late to back out now or talk your way out of this. You’re going to die, fighting or cowering, your choice. You really think you could hear and steal from me?’

“I didn’t come here to steal anything!” cried Roxas, continuing to back away. 

“Why else would you be here?” he asked. “For my gold or the girl, they’re all mine. You really think you can lie to me? So sorry, I’m not that easy to fool.”  
Roxas drew his blade. The dragon didn’t seem interested in listening and if he didn’t defend himself he’d be dead. 

“All right, all right,” he said, “now things get interesting.”

The dragon swung its long whip-like tail at him, only for Roxas to jump out of the way. Next came a swipe of his claws, each one almost as long as Roxas’s sword, but Roxas backed out range and countered, stabbing the underside of his claw. The dragon let out a hiss of pain, followed by a growl. The dragon drew back his neck and shot a blast of red hot flames straight at Roxas. Roxas held up his sword and cast a wind spell, parting the flames around him as they blue off to either side.  
The dragon stopped and starred at him wide eyes, mouth hanging open. 

“What?” he cried. “You…you’re an elemental? Since when do your kind hunt dragons.”

“Like I was trying to say, I’m not here to hurt you,” said Roxas. “My name is Roxas, formerly Ventus of the temple of the Elemental Knights.” He bowed to the dragon.

“Roxas,” the dragon repeated as if tasting the name. “I’m Axel, do not forget my name, human. A-x-e-l, got it memorized?”

“Yes,” said Roxas, “thank you for granting me the honor of knowing your name.”

The dragon only huffed. “So Roxas, why are you here then?”

“I came north to find a dragon so I could become a dragon rider.”

“A dragon rider?” scoffed the dragon. “You think you can just turn one of us into a mount? Like some mule? The only ride you’ll get from me is one way ride down my throat if you think-”

“I didn’t say you,” said Roxas, “and the dragons we ride aren’t slaves or beasts of burden. I came looking for a friend: a partner.” 

The dragon snorted, smoke rising from his nostrils and he smirked. “I thought dragon riders raised their dragons from hatchlings. I wouldn’t call robbing nests making friends?”

“I’m too old to raise a dragon,” said Roxas, “riders hatch their mounts when they’re still kids so they can grow with their dragon, like an older sibling but…well the cut off date was awhile ago. I thought maybe I could find an adult dragon who’d want to join me.” 

“No fire dragon has ever joined a human,” said the dragon, “but wait, you said you didn’t mean me. But then why come here? You must know this is my lair. I have quite the reputation in the village and even if you didn’t speak to them you’d think the fire might give it away.”

Roxas sighed and then took a deep breath. “Well when I came to the village I heard that you were taking maidens and I came to see what was going on and maybe convince you to stop?” 

“Convince me to stop?” he asked. “They’re the ones who offered a sacrifice, as payment for leaving the village alone. We were generous to take it, considering how much of our forest they’ve taken.”

Roxas nodded, he’d heard Master Eraqus talk about the northern settlements encroaching on the woodlands. “It was wrong of them to come to your lands and destroy things,” said Roxas. “But I doubt she,” he gestured to Xion who had so far stood by silently watching the scene unfold, “had any say in the matter. She doesn’t deserve to die.”

“He’s not going to kill me,” she said, finding her voice. “Axel saved me.”

“Huh?” asked Roxas. 

“Didn’t really have the heart to eat her,” said the dragon. He moved towards Xion and lowered his head to gently nuzzle her. “My mate…former mate didn’t agree with that decision.”

“Axel was the one who took me,” said Xion. “He was waiting to…to share me with Saix but we sort got to talking and he didn’t want me to die after all. When Saix tried to kill me anyway, Axel fought him off.”

“Then he stormed off like a hatchling throwing a tantrum,” said Axel, bitterly. "All I asked was to keep one girl.” 

“So you’re his pet?” asked Roxas.

“I guess,” said Xion. “I mean, I’d like to think of us as friends. It’s really nice here. Axel takes good care of me. It’s actually a lot better than life in the village was for me.” 

“Oh…ok then,” said Roxas, “well I guess if you’re happy then that’s fine but…they’re going to offer a sacrifice every year. You’re not going to keep all of them, are you?”

“Well no,” said Axel. “Just because I don’t want to eat her doesn’t mean I don’t want to eat at all. A gift is a gift, and if I’m giving up their sheep I’d at least like one meal out of the deal. One human is a nice addition to my collection of pretty things, but a bunch seems like a bit of a hassle.”

Roxas stared at him. “We’re talking about people.”

“Yes, human life is very precious to humans, or at least they like to pretend it is,” he said, “that’s what makes them an acceptable tribute. I like being given precious things.”

“So you’re just going to kill people?”

“It wasn’t my idea,” said Roxas. “They’re the ones who started offering sacrifices in the first place. We never asked for anything and I’d have been just happy with gold or jewels, anything precious really.”

“Lord Ansem won’t give up his treasure stores,” said Xion. “What are few girls to him? The people of Twilightfell sacrifice and he loses nothing.”

“What do you want from me?” asked Axel. “Just let them take our lands and do nothing. Hunting is harder with less woodland to hunt in and they have the nerve to put their animals on my land and refuse to share with anyone. The way things were headed I was ready to burn everything to ground and drive them all off, but they offered a truce. Isn’t that better, peace keeper?”

“The village hates the dragons just as much,” said Xion. “If the sacrifices hadn’t stopped the raids they’d have tried to kill the dragons and a lot more people would have been hurt.” 

Roxas was silent for a long moment . “I don’t want anyone to be killed,” he said weakly. He sat down on the floor of the cave and stared at the ground and the way the light played on the shining hilt of his sword. This sword was given to him on his fourteenth birthday, a sign of his entry into their order. He’d been so focused on becoming a dragon rider that’d forgotten what the Elemental Knights stood for - that his mission was never supposed to be about what he wanted, it was about helping others. 

Axel shifted, laying his tail in a circle around the place where Roxas sat. and studied the boy. Then he lowered his head to him and licked Roxas’s face. The boy cringed in surprise and looked at the dragon uncertain.

“Uh, hi?” he said. 

“Relax,” Axel purred, “it’s a friendly lick. I don’t really like seeing you so sad. What’s happening here isn’t your fault.” 

“No,” said Roxas, “but there should be something I can do.” 

“Hmm,” said Axel, “well maybe there is…you’re a very rare and precious thing. Perhaps you could give yourself and relieve Twilightfell of their obligation.”

“You want me?” asked Roxas, caught off guard by the order. “To…to eat?”

“To keep,” said Axel, “as my servant. Never heard of a dragon owning a Elemental Knight. Evens the score a bit, doesn’t it? So what do you say, do you want to be my human?”


End file.
